


We're all people here

by Madamegoethe



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Bisexual John Watson, Bisexual Male Character, Coming Out, First Kiss, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-16 16:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12346815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madamegoethe/pseuds/Madamegoethe
Summary: John Watson and Mike Stamford are two young aspiring Doctors, so the task to educate the gay community of London in the late 90's about drugs, STID's and HIV falls to them.John, however, doesn't seem to be too comfortable in a gay club.Why is that? And what could possibly change when he meets one infamous Sherlock Holmes?Happy Coming Out Day to all of You!Here's the Song that is being played at the end:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHcDnqIz0jg





	We're all people here

**Author's Note:**

> Happy National Coming Out Day! (Sorry, I know I'm a bit late!)  
> So, this tiny little idea just struck me after having binge-watched the UK-version of "Queer as Folk" rather recently (higly recommended btw) and I just thought: well, 90's techno music, gay club, Sherlock on a stage, dancing, insecure John, Coming out day = BINGO!  
> So, yeah, hope you like it!  
> If you're interested (or into that sort of music) here's the Queer as Folk soundtrack which I've listened to while I've wrote this little tidbit  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHZ1kdtBesg&t=1082s  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY4YPaibKjI
> 
> Be strong, be yourself, keep shining, you are wonderful! <3

It was a Saturday Night in London in 1999, and since John and Mike were the youngest of the lot, they had gotten the short end of the stick and were ordered to walk around the gay clubs of Soho with their medicinical brochures on HIV and how to prevent it, free condoms, a lot of knowledge in their heads that they were told to pass onto anyone that would listen, and a lot of nervousness.  
"I feel like a blood Jehova's witness!" John complained to Mike on their way to their first club "I mean, it's not the eighties anymore, they all KNOW, don't they?! They just want to have a good time and score, if they decide not to protect themselves for whatever stupid reason, us standing creepily around will hardly change it, right?!"  
"or could it just be that you're feeling slightly uncomfortable going into a gay bar?" Mike raised a mocking eyebrow  
"Oh shut up, you know damn well that my sister is...well..one of  _them_!"  
"One of  _them_ , I see. Quod erat demonstrandum my little friend, and now man up and let's get this over and done with - if you're not too obviously wetting your pants, I'll buy you an extremely heterosexual beer afterwards, deal?"  
"I'm NOT homophob...!"  
  
But John's protest was lost in the music of the first club Mike led them into. "The Chemist", John saw in Neon-green letters above the bar  
 _Well_   he thought bitterly  _what a wonderful place to start our Anti-Drug and Anti-unprotected Sex campaign!  
_ Mike was already chatting to ( _being chatted up by_ , John thought) a pretty butch black-haired fellow in the corner, so John knew he was on his own for now.  
Trying to ignore the thumping bass and the sweating, very distinctly _male_ bodies around him, he made a beeline for the bar. So what if this was technically a worknight, he needed a drink, and badly!  
"Um...Can I have a beer please?" John asked the bartender, a black guy maybe ten years older than him, clad in black latex shorts and not much else who eyed him thoroughly. John tried to look unfazed and managed only to stare a hole into the wall behind the barkeeper's head  
"First time here, love?" he asked "Don't worry, you'll relax after a bit, we're all very friendly here" and he handed him his pint over with a wink   
"Oh..oh no, I'm not..I'm here because of a job, I'm a Doctor, you see?! I'm not...one of you" he garbled and immediately knew that he'd said the wrong thing when the face of the barkeeper darkened  
"One of us?" he asked, and bent over the bar, grabbing him by the lapel of his shirt and whispering into his ear "Now listen very closely sweetheart, because I am only going to say this once: I can understand that you're a bit in over your head here, this being your first time in a gay club and all, but there's no "us" and "the others" - we're all human beings, you get me? See that man dancing over there? He's a lawyer, one of the richest men in town. See the young man dancing with him? He's had pretty much every city boy on this street! These guys over there?" and he yanked John's head around, pointing to two men in the corner "met here twenty-five years ago, come here every Saturday, still as much in love as they were on their first date. We've got all sorts here, so don't you dare come here and tell me you're not one of us, you got me?!" he let go of John  
"Uhm" John made "Yeah I...sorry, I really didn't mean it like that, it's just...yeah...how much is the beer?"  
"On the house!" the bartender waved at him, and then added with a wink "first always is for poor, closeted creatures like you"  
  
"I...hey, what?! I'm not..." but Mr. Latex was already tending to another costumer, so John took a rather big gulp of his beer to stomach the extremely weird "conversation" he'd just had, and decided to look for a spot somewhere at the side where he wouldn't bother anyone. On his way out of the crowd, the barkeeper's words kept replaying over and over again in his head "poor, closeted creature".  
He shook his head vigorously. What a load of bullshit! His sister came out when she was fifteen, he had been only eleven back then, and he only remembered his parents not taking it extremely well and that she had moved out shortly afterwards. And getting into contact with the wrong sort of people. Not that he ever blamed it on her being...what she was, mind you, but...  
He shook his head again. Ridicoulus!  
He's had his fair share of girlfriends during college and University, and if there had ever been the odd sort of fumble between mates, well, isn't that what all boys do at a certain age? When they're lonely and there are no girls around?  
It wasn't like he particularly  _enjoyed_ it, sought it out, or remembered the Boy's names..name!  
"Oh FUCK!" he found himself moaning and banging his forehead against a wall. It was this club, the music, all this...all of these _people_ , it was just a bit too much for him to take in, nothing more! He'd be fine as soon as he would be out of here again!  
Fuck the task from medical school, he needed out, he needed to find Mike and he needed OUT!  
"Pupils dilated but out of fear, not arousal, first time here, estimated age 27 and...hm, yes, aspiring Doctor" a deep voice suddenly purred into his right ear and he jumped  
"Apparently VERY fearfuly" the owner of the voice added, grinning smugly. John blinked. Before him stood a tall, lanky young man with unruly, pitch-black curls, green-grey piercing eyes and cheekbones to die for -  _wait, did I just think that? Oh my God, please no!_    
  
"Sherlock" the man held out his hand for him to shake. "J..John" he hesitatingly shook it, and Sherlock nodded, eying him curiously  
"Soooo, aspiring Doctor, got the little leaflets to warn us poor gays from HIV, Drugs and STID's, yet extremely uncomfortable with being in an establishment like this" he smirked "I..I'm not uncomfortab.." John began, but Sherlock interrupted him "First of all, you've only just begun your training. You clearly don't want to be here, you've been forced, so you're the weakest of the pack, so to speak. Secondly, you've got a problem with Homosexuals and yet, you keep looking at me as if I'm dinner, so - one of your close friends or relatives came out when you were younger and their family didnt take it well, hence you trying to hide it, probably even from yourself. Well, good luck, John!" he winked and disappeared into the crowd, leaving John completely dumfounded. "I...I'm not...what?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else  
  
Suddenly, someone clapped him on the shoulders  
"Oi, Watson!" "Uh, yeah, sorry Mike, you alright?" "Yeah I was just thinking...hadn't seen you in a bit and, listen, I've pretty much given my flyers to everyone here who wanted them, should we move on?"  
John thought of the mysterious Sherlock who had disappeared into the crowd and found himself saying, quite against his will, "Um, listen mate, if it's alright with you, I think I'd rather stay here for a while, would that be okay?"  
Mike grinned "Ah, Watson!" "Wha...what do you mean? Why are you looking at me like that?" John asked, utterly clueless  
"Admit it, one of these guys caught your eye! Don't worry mate, I won't tell anyone until you're ready, but I'm glad you can finally accept it!"  
"I can finally...wait, WHAT?! Mike, I'm NOT GAY!" Mike chuckled "Then why do you want to stay?"  
John looked at the floor "It's...not what you think" he mumbled  
"Isn't it always?" Mike said, and clapped him on the back "listen, you have fun and, remember" he patted the leaflets that were still in his pocket "stay safe!" "Oh FUCK OFF MIKE!" John roared  
Just when Mike turned to leave, the Music went quiet and the bartender who had not only given John his beer but also quite the talking to before, turned to the Microphone  
"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen,  _THE_ stage is open again, daring dancers and musical wishes are most welcome - the first of the evening has already been made, and you will no doubt be most pleased to hear that it is one of our favourites, the ever-graceful, the glamorous, the unique...SHERLOCK!"  
John's head turned so fast towards the stage, he was afraid he might have cracked a vertebra (and, curiously enough, so did Mike's)  
The sight that greeted them was truly magnificent  
If Sherlock had looked breathtaking before, it was nothing compared to this!  
He was clad in skin-tight golden leggins, his bare, upper body sprinkled with golden powder that made him look like an ancient greek God. As soon as the music set in - a classical piece underlined with a 90's techno beat - he started to dance, moving around, made the stage his, always seductive, never sluttish  
"Jo...John?" Mike finally managed to say "Mhyeahwhat?" John made, still not being able to draw his eyes from the vision that unfolded itself in front of his eyes "the man you wanted to stay here for..please don't tell me it's him?!"  
"What? Why? How's that any of your business?" John whipped his head around, finally, to stare at his colleague and friend  
" _Sherlock Holmes!_ " Mike said "the young man the ER had in and out over the last year for drug abuse? For literally every single drug there is? And quite a few more they didn't even know of yet, probably because he brewed them himself? THAT'S HIM!"  
John looked at the elegant creature twisting itself around the pole now, back to his colleague, opening his mouth and slowly trying to get words out "Oh. Oh...no..OH NO!"  
"John!" Mike sighed "I'm so sorry...I mean, I'm really glad that you can accept that you're, well...playing for both fields and all that, but, HIM?!"  
  
Just like that, the classical piece ended, and so did Sherlock's performance, but he did not leave the stage. Instead, he picked up the microphone from the bartender and shouted, over the thunderous applause, "Yes, thank you, thank you and all that, however, I'm not quite done yet. In fact,  _we're_ not quite done yet." He whispered something into the bartender's ear upon which he grinned and then Sherlock stood up again, speaking into the microphone again "to REALLY kick off a great night of dancing and frivolity, there's nothing better than this song! But it would be a shame if I had to dance to it all alone up here - several men whistled, but he made them shut up with a gesture of his hand - so it would be a great joy and honour for me, if Doctor John Watson - both John and Mike gasped - would join me here on the stage - and be it only to get back his nice badge that I nicked off of him earlier" laughter from the crowd followed as Sherlock paraded around the stage, indeed showing off John's badge. "Either way" Sherlock breathed into the microphone as seductively as he could "don't be shy. And now: Hit it, Lafayette!"  
The lights changed immediately and as soon as John heard the first chord and Gloria Gaynor's soft voice singing "I am what I am", he knew he was  _fucked_! Well, not quite. Not...yet  
"Come on, find John Watson, he's the good looking blond standing in the corner shivering with fear!" Sherlock now shouted from atop the stage, clearly having the time of his life  
"Mate...should we...leave?" Mike asked, not sounding entirely convinced anymore, while spotlights kept searching the crowd  
But somehow, something inside of John had changed and he shook his head "You suspected all along, didn't you?" he asked  
Mike nodded. John got rid of his jacket "And you also said that young man up there is a risky case for becoming a drug addict?" "Most definitely!" Mike answered. "Well" John said "we're here to prevent HIV, STID AND drug use, aren't we?" Mike nodded again, looking confused "Guess I'll have to fulfill my duties as a Doctor then - hold my beer!" and with that, John ran through the crowd and jumped up onto the platform on which Sherlock was dancing, followed by the cheers of the crowd  
  
"You're mad, you're dangerous, I will NOT have you taking any more drugs and I am NOT gay!" John panted into his face  
"Thanks for coming" Sherlock grinned "I know you're not gay. You're bi. And as for the Drugs...you'll just have to look after me, I guess. Move in with me?"  
"Excuse me, WHA...?"  
The rest of John's outraged question was swallowed by a positively indecent kiss, the crowd cheered, Gloria sang "I am what I am, and what I am needs no excuses" and when Sherlock and John had stopped kissing (for now), John had forgotten his question altogether anyway.  
They moved in together the next day and John never looked back ever again - well, unless to peek at Sherlock's glorious arse  
  
  



End file.
